Love is immortal.
by theimortalone
Summary: A romantic story set in the highlander universe that shows that love can bloom even when given a very short time to do so.


Love is immortal.  
  
Highlander is the property of whoever makes it.  
  
A big cemetery lies on the outskirts of a big town. A section with big headstones marks where the important people are buried. Off to the side is the place where they bury the 'unknowns'. Hundreds buried in a close area with cheap worn looking headstones. This area is also obviously not taken as good care of. A man walks into this area; he has short dark hair and is wearing a long trench coat. He walks up to a grave and kneels down in front of it, revealing a sheathed sword underneath his coat.  
  
"My love. It has not been long now since you were taken from me. But it has felt like an eternity."  
  
The man puts some flowers down on the grave.  
  
"I have visited this grave every day since you passed away. I still remember the day we met."  
  
3 weeks earlier.  
  
The same man is walking through the halls of a hospital. He has a robe on for people working there. He enters the terminal ward and does his rounds.  
  
"Hello Ms. Peterson. How are you feeling today?"  
  
An old lady smiles back.  
  
"You know the answer. I'm dying."  
  
"I know. I was just hoping maybe there was a change."  
  
"You are such a kidder." The old lady smiles and lightly punches the man.  
  
"Quentin. Keep on moving. You have a lot of people to visit." A man looks at Quentin sternly.  
  
"I am Quentin McLeod of the clan McLeod. I have only lived for 35 years, 4 of those as an immortal. I have never seen death of a mortal until that day."  
  
Quentin starts to leave the wrong when he hears a yell. He spins around and sees the old lady going into convulsions.  
  
"Ms. Peterson!"  
  
He pushes the button on the wall and orderlies rush in.  
  
"Get out of here. Let us have some room."  
  
"Is she going to die?" Quentin looks shocked.  
  
Quentin backs away and watches from the hallway. After 15 minutes the orderlies cover up the lady with a sheet and walk away sadly. Quentin just stands there in shock.  
  
"Being immortal I never thought about death. I mean I know I can be killed simply by getting my head cut off. But I also know that immortals can live hundreds even thousands of years."  
  
Quentin watches as a beautiful young lady and what must be her daughter enter the room and start crying when they see the old lady covered up.  
  
"I have yet to experience sadness over the loss of a loved one."  
  
The young lady touches her lips and then touches the old lady's lips. She mouths the word goodbye.   
  
"What's wrong with grandma?" The little girl tugs at the young lady's dress.  
  
The young lady looks over and smiles through the tears.  
  
"Grandma has gone to a better place."  
  
"Can I go there too?"  
  
The young lady gasps.  
  
"Yes but I hope not for a very long time."  
  
"Quentin, get back to your duties."  
  
That snaps Quentin out of his thoughts and he wheels away, looking until he can't see the sad scene anymore. He finally reaches the last room and finds an attractive blond woman in the bed.  
  
"She looks so young. How could someone that young be dying?"  
  
Suddenly Quentin remembers his 'death' at only 31 years old.  
  
"Hello." The young woman smiles.  
  
"Hi."  
  
"You must be new."  
  
"Yes I started today." Quentin smiles.  
  
The young woman turns her head to the side and frowns.  
  
"It must be depressing to work in a terminal ward. That's probably why I see new people so often."  
  
"It's interesting."  
  
The young woman looks at a poster on the wall and smiles. It shows a beautiful woman dancing lightly.  
  
"That's my grandma. My family has always been great dancers."  
  
The young woman frowns again.  
  
"But that tradition was broken when I got multiple sclerosis."  
  
A tear appears in her eyes.  
  
"I always wanted to dance like my mom and my grandma."  
  
In her mind the young woman sees herself jumping higher than anyone has jumped before. Dancing all night, never getting tired.  
  
"She never told me so but I can tell my grandmother was disappointed in me. We were never close again after I came down with MS."  
  
The young woman looks at Quentin.  
  
"Oh I'm sorry. What am I doing telling all this to a stranger."  
  
Quentin smiles and walks up to her bed.  
  
"Don't you worry. I find your story very fascinating."  
  
Suddenly the young woman goes into a seizure. Quentin grasps her hands to hold it still but it doesn't do any good. But the moment he makes contact with her, a strange feeling comes over him. A connection. He is forced to let go however when orderlies rush in and order him out. He returns later to find that she is asleep with orders not to be disturbed by anyone but close family members.  
  
"She was different from any other woman I have met. I felt an inner glow within her that would not be extinguished by her terminal illness."  
  
Quentin leaves and returns again the next morning. He has something special for his young friend.  
  
"Hello." The young woman smiles in her bed.  
  
"I brought you something."  
  
Quentin takes out a bag and and pulls out a tape.  
  
"I noticed you have a tape player."  
  
The young woman takes the tape.  
  
"What is this?"  
  
"It's a tape of dance music. I thought if you listened to it then you could easily imagine yourself dancing to it."  
  
The young woman takes the tape and puts it into the player and pushes play. Beautiful ballet music wafts out of the speakers and the young woman closes her eyes.  
  
"It's beautiful. But you really shouldn't of."  
  
"Nonsense. Just think of it as a way to say thanks for brightening my day yesterday."  
  
"I really did brighten your day?"  
  
"Of course. You are a ray of sunshine as bright as your hair."  
  
The young woman blushes.  
  
"I don't even know your name."  
  
"Quentin."  
  
"Jamie."  
  
Quentin takes Jamie's hand and kisses it.  
  
"Pleased to meet you Jamie."  
  
Jamie giggles and her blush gets deeper.  
  
"Quentin. I warned you about hanging out too long in your rounds."  
  
"I have to go. I want to come see you when I am not working. Would you mind?"  
  
Jamie shakes her head.  
  
"No that would be wonderful."  
  
The next day Quentin stays after his shift is over and returns to Jamie's room. She is crying for some reason.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"My grandmother was here. She says I am a disgrace to the family tradition and that she has disowned me."  
  
Quentin uses his fingers to wipe the tears from Jamie's face.  
  
"I'm sorry. I know what it's like to be disowned by your own family."  
  
"I wish I had never gotten this damn condition. I could have been a great dancer. But instead I'm bed ridden after years of having to use crutches and wheel chairs."  
  
Quentin holds her hands.  
  
"I believe that there is something else beyond this world. A place where they are no physical boundaries. Part of me wants to be there now instead of in weeks when the doctor says I will die."  
  
Quentin leaves when visiting hours are up. That whole night he thinks about what she said. He gets an idea and returns once more the next evening before visiting hours were up.  
  
"Thanks for coming back so many times."  
  
Quentin smiles and takes out a bag. He pulls out a bottle of wine and another tape.  
  
"What's this? My doctor won't allow me to drink."  
  
"Then it will be for show. The most important part is on this tape."  
  
Jamie looks puzzled as Quentin inserts the tape.  
  
"Now get out of bed."  
  
Jamie laughs.  
  
"You know I can't do that without my leg braces."  
  
"Then put them on. It's time for me to make your dream come true. Even if for a short while."  
  
Jamie frowns and pulls the braces out from beneath the bed. She slowly puts them and shakily stands up. Quentin walks over to the door and turns the lights down. He then turns the tape on and romantic music sounds over the speakers.  
  
"What is this?"  
  
"It is a song you can dance to."  
  
Quentin sweeps Jamie up and she yelps. Suddenly Jamie feels as light as air and she glides across the room in Quentin's gentle hands.  
  
"I feel like an angel."  
  
They dance for a half an hour. Finally it's time for visiting hours to be up. Something inside of Jamie and Quentin clicks and they kiss passionately.  
  
"But I only have weeks to live."  
  
"I don't care."  
  
They kiss again even more passionately. Quentin leaves and returns the next evening. They kiss and hold hands.  
  
"Why would you want to be with someone that will die soon?"  
  
"I am about to tell you something that I have never told anyone before."  
  
Jamie looks expectantly.  
  
"I am Immortal. I cannot die."  
  
"What? Are you kidding?"  
  
"No. I feel a connection to you. Someone that has such limited life. Where I have unlimited life."  
  
"I don't know whether to believe you or call you a nut job and tell you to get out."  
  
Jamie looks into Quentin's eyes.  
  
"But something in your eyes tells me that you are telling the truth."  
  
Over the next week Quentin courts her and brings her flowers and other tapes. Every week they dance again. Finally one day he walks in and the front desk lady calls out to him.  
  
"You're the friend of Jamie's aren't you?"  
  
Quentin nods confused.  
  
"I'm so sorry."  
  
Quentin frowns.  
  
"She passes away last night. She called out your name."  
  
"No1"  
  
Quentin rushes towards her room and finds it empty. He turns towards a doctor and grabs him.  
  
"What did you do with Jamie? Where is she?"  
  
"I'm sorry but that patient has died. Last night I think."  
  
Quentin yells and is finally escorted out of the hospital. At his home his mind reels.  
  
"Must every life that I care about be taken away from me?"  
  
Quentin takes out his sword and puts it to his neck, as if to cut off his own head. But something stops him. Jamie's voice stops him.  
  
"If you are really telling the truth about being an immortal than I envy you. But only for the reason that you will not die soon. Please do me one favor. Even if you live to be 1000, make every day count. Find others like me and make their lives as worthwhile as you made mine."  
  
Quentin throws his sword down and cries. Meanwhile back at the cemetery, Quentin is crying.  
  
"Oh god I miss you so much."  
  
He takes out a bag and places a couple roses on the gravestone. Then he puts a boom box on the ground and pushes play. The same music that they first danced to starts.  
  
"This one is for you Jamie."  
  
Quentin dances with himself, his hands are in a position as if he is holding her. Jamie appears nearby smiling. She leaps high into the air and dances like a pro before disappearing again.  
  
The end.  
  
  
  
  



End file.
